Kristen McMenamy kicked off the Valentino show in a voluminous black off shoulder caftan. She looked good, no doubt, but that black look and all that fabrics were in no way a forecast of what was about to happen later on in the show. After a selection of all black looks in all kinds of shapes, sizes and fabrics, which was ended with a black dress and an enormous feathered hat, Pierpaolo Piccioli introduced a few looks in white, black and white and he sent out two girls with an enormous Valentino V logo printed on their chests. Then the show really kicked off white shades of orange, pink and Valentino red. On came the prints, the most gorgeous floral inspired mirrored prints in the most perfect SS2019 palettes (purple, green and yellow) which came back in the color of the models eyeshadow. A sequined dress worn by Britt Ensink with purple fur on the sleeves simply was the star of the show. Pockets in dresses added an effortless touch. Gold colored chunky earrings and furry footwear put the picture together. And even more so than usual this was a parade of dreamy, dazzling dresses that could’ve just stepped out of a fairy tale. Now name one woman who wouldn’t want to step out in one of these pieces of art.

Pretty aqua painted artwork clips on DelPozo’s Instagram had us tiptoeing towards the SS2019 collection presentation over the last few days. A lovely light yet colourful countdown (DelPozo’s signature) that had us guessing what the show’s theme would be. With Josep Font as creative director the Spanish brand delivered a light hearted collection filled with transparency.

Inspired by the work of Murano glass artist Fulvio Bianconi Font created countless looks with sheer parts and see through details. With some models it even felt like you could see right through them, yet their clothes obviously were too beautiful to miss. Hand embroidered, nature inspired details on tops and dresses gave the collection an extra touch of delicacy. Although the light colored, ruffled and draped ensembles already spoke of next level elegancy.

Floral shaped headpieces and silver colored gladiator sandals embellished with petal shaped details gave a dreamy, light touch to the looks the fresh faced models wore. Looks that certainly had a lot going on, yet thanks to the color palette, the silhouette and the effortless way the clothes were worn looked simple and modest.

For next summer those button down blouses, knee length skirts, tea dresses and one shoulder, draped tops is all we want to wear. Oh and everything in this lovely palette of mint green, white and lilac hues please.

Could a Jaws T-shirt with a CK logo printed onto it be a potential hot seller? Designer Raf Simons likes to think so. Inspired by seventies movies such as Jaws, Hooper, Ben and The Graduate he came up with a playful collection of deconstructed, asymmetric, unfinished (fringed ends everywhere) looks and a whole lot of Jaws merch. There is not much left of the straightforward, minimalistic, clean catwalk looks Calvin Klein used to have over the past few years. Raf Simons seems to like to experiment for the brand.

Tom Ford’s show notes spoke of the essence of him being a designer, the reason why. “I became a designer, because I wanted to make men and women feel more beautiful and to empower them with a feeling of confidence. A feeling of knowing that they looked their best and could then present their best selves to the world. I wanted to make clothes that were flattering. That make one look taller and slimmer and more beautiful or more handsome.” And ever since the designer really put himself on the map in the mid-1990s he did just that.

SS2019 was no exception. To the sounds of Netflix series Babylon Berlin’s theme song he sent out an army of fierce looking women and some men. Cardi B, who created a lipstick with Tom ford that this week sold out in a day, was present among some other celebs.

The guys wore suits with shirts and sweaters with a pair of statement glasses.They main womenswear outfit was a mismatched powder shaded skirt suit in a mix of lace, satin and silk materials. Another big theme in the collection was croc leather popping up in the shape of jackets, belts, bags, bracelets and wallets in shades of black, green and lilac.

There were some impeccable trench coats, a leopard printed pony skin coat and a selection of the sexiest party pieces. Like a deconstructed tux or a sheer and body tight little black dress. Every look was styled off by a pair of pointy shoes with ankle straps and the female models sported silk scarves on their heads. Like Tom Ford promised in his show notes he made his models look their best; glamorous, confident, seductive and sexy af.

Dutch designer RVDK/Ronald van der Kemps message is still the same: the only sustainable way forward is by making the most of what’s in front of you. And you don’t need to know about his stance on sustainability to enjoy his work, but it certainly gives it added relevance at a time where H&M sits on $4.3 billion worth of unsold inventory. Through this iteration of his upcycled collage of vintage fabric finds and unusual materials, van der Kemp zeroed in on the idea of disposable clothes, opposing the paper dresses of the Sixties to the “disposable clothes on the high street.”
He draws together his repurposed material in a joyous clash that imparts a perpetual of-the-moment feel. As ever, he remains undaunted at the idea of offering outré pairings, or of being handed materials others may consider subpar.

In a world facing depleted natural resources, Iris van Herpen’s fascinating biomimicry world looks increasingly relevant. As the movement for lab-grown materials continues to gather momentum, van Herpen this season explored synthetic biology and the intertwining relationships between the organic and the inorganic, biology and technology. The designer even had a term for it: “Syntopia.”
As a prelude, she handed the floor to like-minded Amsterdam-based artist duo Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta of Studio Drift to create a kinetic sculpture. Suspended above the runway — and based on the concept of a glass bird — the installation was composed of rows of glass bars suspended by invisible wires that made them move like wings. It made for some novel runway entertainment, but the show really took flight with van Herpen’s creations based on interpretations of a feather’s architecture.
The designer used chronophotography, a technique from the Victorian era that captures movement in several frames, to guide the draping of a garment, breaking the process down to emulate the layering of a bird’s feather on sculpted dresses with undulating hems.
Other looks had an ethereal underwater feel, seen in rippling dresses with a classical allure, and luminous cape gowns in sheer silk organza, their liquid-coated pleats echoing the lines of the kinetic installation.
The Syntopia theme also played out in a series of gray coats and dresses in laser-cut wool fused with sections of intertwined digitally designed and traditional weaves, fringes of leather tassels swinging from the hems.

Like any other year this week the Westergasterrein is (more or less) our temporary office. Yet this time around we’re based here for something other than Amsterdam Fashion Week. It’s M-ODE and it’s first edition of We Make M-ODE (part of We Make the City) that has us and other fashion professionals and fanatics gathered at the Westergasfabriek the upcoming days.

M-ODE is a completely new fashion initiative by fashion teacher Peter Leferink (48) and former Amsterdam Fashion Week director Iris Ruisch (43). It is a foundation which focuses on sustainability and therefore each and every fashion show, presentation or event this week is sustainable in a way. Whether it is a designer who chooses not to produce new collections every other season, a design collective producing eco-fabrics or someone like Bas Kosters who produces his new collection out of old (not sold Kingsday) clothes.

A fashion event with a 5 day programme like M-ODE turned out to be wasn’t even what Iris and Peter had in mind when they first decided to join forces. But as they spoke to the first designers interested (a few of whom were planning on showing during Amsterdam Fashion Week in January anyway) more people become enthusiastic and new ideas kept coming. And so for four months straight it was like a M-ODE roller coaster for Iris and Peter. Apart from fashion shows at the Westergasfabriek – with Bas Kosters’ show on Saturday evening being the biggest spectacle – there are lots of sustainable activities organized. Like workshops, a clothing exchange market, readings and a sustainable fashion route leading consumers to workspaces and (pop-up) shops. Not just the Westergasfabriek, but VondelCS and het Bos en Lommerplein have their own activities organized as well.

If you’d look at the schedule you’d hardly believe that M-ODE didn’t even start as an event hosting initiative. Supporting/coaching young fashion entrepreneurs for at least one and a maximum of three years, teaching them about the right balance between creativity, finance and the importance of collaborating, that is what Iris and Peter had in mind in the first place. A wonderful initiative that is off to a good start with a great first week filled with events . Stay tuned for more M-ODE updates on our Instagram, Facebook and blog.

The Spanish label DelPozo switched New York for London and staged the show at the Royal Institute of British Architects. The collection was about the fuse of nature and art, with happy colors and simple, curving lines that followed the shapes of the body.

Elegant and sculptural leather belts done in lily-pad shapes cinched many a trouser and dress waist while big faux-fur flowers — in electric blue or bougainvillea pink — sat on the collars of coats, or covered small clutch bags.
Color combinations were offbeat, with some working a treat, as in a marine blue A-line dress with a bright yellow collar, a long cinnamon coat with a pale blue flower belt, and a pink dress with feather-light red tulle panels at the side.

Other combinations veered more toward the Neapolitan ice cream sundae — in particular the light brown and yellow exploded hound’s tooth capes and the pink, camel and cream color blocks on an A-line dress and trousers.

This was Christopher Baileys last collection for Burberry. het is saying goodbye after 17 years and this collection seemed a reflection on his own time at the company.He worked in elements from the Burberry archives, and even prints that Burberry had done under license in the Sixties and Seventies. There were looks from the Eighties, too, and many from his own tenure.

This season, Burberry also created a capsule of reissued pieces from the Eighties and Nineties that went on sale immediately, and is selling its Rainbow Check collection, part of an initiative to support charities that help LGBTQ.
That rainbow check — and others — featured prominently in Saturday’s outing, which had a streetwear feel — and a retro one, too, what with the baggy shell suits, oversize zip-front jackets and check jackets that recalled Burberry’s chav days. Some of Bailey’s greatest hits, including shearling aviator jackets, capes and ponchos, military great coats and shimmery cocktail dresses, also beat a path down the catwalk.

Highlights included the long, white skirts and dresses with rainbow flourishes, wool sweaters and coats with fabric paint spladges, and the long, rainbow patchwork cape, with check lining, modeled by Cara Delevingne — one of Bailey’s discoveries — at the end of the show.

Fashionlingo

Our own fashiondictionaryKirking It is a verb, as in: you are kirking! It means to fall asleep while eating dinner with colleagues, while gently rolling ones upper body in a semicircle while wanting to go to sleep, eyes flipping inward uncontrollably. It happens because of jetlag and is age related. There is no cure yet.